Quantum

Quantum is a strategy boardgame where factions of humanity that have survived the destruction of Earth struggle for power and conquest among the stars.

Each player commands a small fleet of starships, represented by dice. The number on a die is the movement for the ship but also its combat power, with lower numbers more powerful. So a [1] is a slow but powerful Battlestation and a [6] is a quick but fragile Scout. You win the game by placing your Quantum Cubes – gigantic energy extractors – on planets throughout the sector by having the right combination of ships around a planet.

Quantum began life as Armada d6, inspired by some mysterious papers about a game-like religious practice called Armada dei Gratia VI that I discovered in a bookstore in the 1990s. I spent about three years developing and playtesting the design, which went on to win the Game Design Award at the 2012 IndieCade Festival of Independent Games. Paris-based boardgame publisher FunForge picked up the title, which will premiere at the Essen game fair in November 2013.

The game design of Quantum has been praised for its elegance, and I like to think that the core system is simple and easy to learn. For example, the single number on a die tells you several things: the speed and power of each ship, its ability to build quantum cubes, and the ship’s unique special ability. Although the heart of the game is straightforward, there are factors that make it quite different each time you play. For example, when you build a Quantum Cube, you select an advance card, which give you unique special abilities that lead to highly variable play strategies. The map itself is also customizable – it is built out of modular tiles, and you can use one of the 30 maps that come with the game or create your own.

I am really proud of Quantum. There are many ways to approach playing the game – from direct combat with other players to rapid expansion to tricky use of advance powers. The customizable maps give the game infinite variety and let players design their own experiences. The narrative world of the game, which revolves around ideas of quantum uncertainty, religious faith, and the perverse aesthetics of war, adds layers of meaning as well. And I am very happy with the high-quality illustrations and retro visual style of Philippe Nouhra and FunForge.

Special thanks to John Sharp who gave me crucial game design and creative support during the later stages of development. Below are some links to more information about the game.